Where do people secure their battery banks?

[Mariner777]

Can people post pictures of how and where they mount their battery banks? I am in the process of upgrading my electrical system but am scratching my head on where to put the batteries... Seeing how others have solved this problem will help a lot. Thanks

[PBzeer]

A lot depends on what type of batteries you're going to be using. AGMs for instance, can be mounted in rather innovative ways that lead acid batteries can't be.

Also, if using lead acid, then you need to have good access for topping them up. Sealed batteries, it isn't as much of a problem.

Another consideration is size of the battery.

Perhaps you could supply those details on what your using, then we could better give some ideas.

[Mariner777]

I have 4 115 amp hour lead acid and one 125 amp hour lead acid may add another 125.

[tdw]

On both Raven and the new girl our batteries are split. Engine is compartment aft right next to the engine itself, house under port settee. I think its good to get the weight amidships.

[mitiempo]

Where depends on the boat and space available, hopefully close to the loads like the starter for short runs of heavy cables.

How depends a bit as well. On a fiberglass boat you can glass a flat support in with raised edges to act as a catch tray for spills. The batteries can be strapped to the tray and either totally covered or just the posts.

Or you can buy a suitable battery box and strap it to the tray. The heavy white ones are the best but the standard black ones are fine for the start battery.

Or you could build a box with lid and glass it in place. Any wood used should be epoxy and glass covered.

[Stu Jackson]

What boat do you have? There's gotta be someone who has one and who has added batteries before.

[SEMIJim]

Right now there's just a pair of group 24s in battery boxes in the forward part of the lazarette on the starboard side of the cockpit.

Anchor's stored in there, too. Since, when we start to cruise, I'm going to want a second, heavier anchor in there, and I'll want at least a pair of group 27 batteries for the house bank, I plan to relocate the house bank to a storage area under the quarter berth on the port side.

I'm only concerned about ventilation. There is none.

Jim

[Mariner777]

The boat is a Pearson 10M and the batteries are currently sealed lead acid. I may switch to flooded when these wear out and would prefer to just pretend they were flooded for now. One issue is it might be good to keep some up by the V berth to run fans etc without long extension chords that seem to increase their current draw. On the flip side I try to keep as much weight away from the bow as possible for performance. There are two mounted properly one by the starter and another in the lazarette and the other three are just in battery boxes on the cabin floor at the moment which needs to be changed.

[Jeff_H]

The broad generalities with Lead acid batteries is that you want the following;
-Located as near to the engine as you can get them:
-Located near the center of buouyancy in the boat and out of the ends of the boat and as close to the centerline as you can conveniently get them:
-They should be in a compartment which is vented but not to the engine compartment or bilge:
-They should be in a cool location which is not subject to flooding:
-They should be in a location where they are easy to inspect (i.e. good light) and refill with water (i.e. no intrutions over the battery.
-They should have a pan to catch any water and acid that spills during filling or heeling.
-The batteries should be lashed down so that they can't rock around or fall out.

Fans have tiny draw compared to starting the engine, or charging the batteries after a start. Keep the batteries near the engine....

[catamount]

Main battery box, originally designed to accommodate four 6-volt golf-cart batteries, but shown here with 1 group 27 battery. In the upper-right, you can see the separate battery box for the dedicated engine start battery (at the time another group 27).

Here is the box with it's lid on:


It is located right under the companionway ladder


Here two shots of the separate box for the engine start battery, located right next to the starter:


I never did get around to the four 6-volt golf-cart batteries, instead last fall I replaced the single Group 27 with three large Odyssey batteries, for a total of a 300 amp-hour bank:


(FWIW, there is now a box enclosing the engine space, not apparent in these photos)

edit: with the Odyssey batteries (sealed AGM type), I don't strictly need an acid-proof vented box to hold them, but regardless, batteries are heavy (unless you've got LiFePO4 batteries) and need to be well secured to prevent them moving around or coming loose in a knock down.